


The One That I Want (Daichi x Reader)

by ThatGinjahNinja



Series: Pub Nights: The Flightless Crow [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Abuse, Abusive Relationships, Alternate Universe - Bar/Pub, Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blow Jobs, Cunnilingus, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Exes, F/M, Fist Fights, Happy Ending, Help, Literature, Manipulation, Oral Sex, Pining, Riding, Romance, Sex, Sexual Content, Smut, Vaginal Fingering, Verbal Abuse, fan fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-15
Updated: 2016-08-16
Packaged: 2018-06-02 09:58:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6561952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatGinjahNinja/pseuds/ThatGinjahNinja
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I intended for this to be similar to the Asahi AU, but it turned out much, much longer and more angsty. It seems I must have depression to go along with my Daichi.</p><p>The second part will have a much happier end than this and also is the part that goes more with the song from the title.</p><p>**The cover art is by <span class="username-with-symbol"><a class="premium username" href="http://jeannette11.deviantart.com">Jeannette11</a><span class="user-symbol premium"></span></span> because she's crazy amazing and because THIGHS!**</p><p>Now this is quite ideologically sensitive and deals with an emotionally/verbally/mentally abusive relationship. This is something I wanted to explore from the side of Daichi, having experienced something similar myself.<br/>(Super big thanks to <span class="username-with-symbol"><a class="regular username" href="http://selvatic.deviantart.com">Selvatic</a><span class="user-symbol regular"></span></span>, the queen of Daichi, for the beta read! ^_^)</p>
    </blockquote>





	1. Part One

**Author's Note:**

> I intended for this to be similar to the Asahi AU, but it turned out much, much longer and more angsty. It seems I must have depression to go along with my Daichi.
> 
> The second part will have a much happier end than this and also is the part that goes more with the song from the title.
> 
> **The cover art is by [Jeannette11](http://jeannette11.deviantart.com) because she's crazy amazing and because THIGHS!**
> 
> Now this is quite ideologically sensitive and deals with an emotionally/verbally/mentally abusive relationship. This is something I wanted to explore from the side of Daichi, having experienced something similar myself.  
> (Super big thanks to [Selvatic](http://selvatic.deviantart.com), the queen of Daichi, for the beta read! ^_^)

**Warning: College AU with some serious lemon...don't read if it's not for you! This is the same AU as the Asahi story "I'm Into You." The story also contains adult language and depictions of a mentally/emotionally abusive relationship. If you like the character Suguru Daishou, you're probably not going to like this story.**

 

Listen here first for the song that inspired the piece: [[link]](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://youtu.be/3hExGnRi-Ao?list=PLneW6c1-NJmq3hg7XPF3CLtSM8egYzr4H)  
(Honestly, something I'd never thought of as sexy til now)

**Lo-Fang - "You're the One That I Want"**

****  
_In the storeroom of the bar, The Flightless Crow, Daichi Sawamura was very occupied. He was pressed against the wall, feeling incredibly turned on, as soft lips sucked hard against his neck, his head falling back, mouth opening in a silent gasp. No one would have heard him anyway, with the noise of the crowd and the live band out in the main bar._

_The boys at the Crow were always setting him up with the most gorgeous customers, as if it were some kind of medicine to cure their hopeless friend. There were plenty of women each night that had their eyes on the attractive bartender. Besides being exceptionally fit, Daichi had an approachable smile and could draw anyone to him. He made excellent tips, which is the main reason he still worked at his friend Asahi's bar, even though he was swamped with university classes in his effort to become a lawyer one day._

_The girl Tanaka and Noya had set him up with that evening was sexy and flirty and certainly not shy...and an extremely good kisser. He tried not to moan as she worked her tongue eagerly over his. The only problem Daichi could find with her was the same one he encountered every time his co-workers attempted to get their pal laid._

_Eyes pinched shut, images of (h/c) hair slipping through his fingers, (e/c) eyes watching him with that lusty expression other girls gave him, your skin at the end of his fingertips, and sweat beading between the two of you as your naked bodies writhed together would_ not. stop. coming. _Every time. Even now._

_Swallowing hard and growling at getting himself in this situation again, Daichi gripped the girl's shoulders and pushed her gently back._

_"I'm sorry," he said._

_There it was. That same confused look that he knew would next turn to concern before dropping off into annoyance and anger._

_"What's wrong?" she asked. "Don't like it?"_

_He shook his head rapidly, still trying to catch his breath. "It's not that. It's not you."_

_"Oh hell. You can't be serious with that line!"_

_Daichi shook his head again, still chasing images of you away. "You didn't do anything. You were...you were great. But I can't do this."_

_He was already quickly walking out of the storeroom while she asked, "Why the hell not?"_

_"I'm sorry. Really," he added, continuing to head straight for the office. It was always the same. He could never follow through._

_"C'mon, man! Not again," Noya's voice came briefly, before it was swallowed by the noisy crowd._

_He ignored Asahi's concerned gaze and Tanaka stopping and apologizing more to the poor girl. Stepping into the office, he closed and locked the door, before sitting on the sofa Asahi had for guests. He growled again, deeply irritated with himself, and placed his elbows on his knees, head in his hands._

_Heels tapping nervously in place, shaking his whole person with anxiety, he cursed to no one, "Damn it!"_

_His eyes were still squeezed shut as he tried reasoning with himself. "You have to stop doing this. Get over it. She's not yours, asshole. She's not yours." Daichi couldn't help but sigh dejectedly, running both hands roughly through his close-cropped black strands._

_"Augh!" he heaved out loudly, leaning back into the couch. "Fuck."_

_He heard a key twisting in the lock of the office door, followed by a familiar knock._

_"Yeah, it's fine. I'm fine, Asahi," he called, door swinging open to let the Crow's owner inside._

_The huge guy looked intimidating to pretty much anyone who saw the size of his muscles accompanied by his height, but to Daichi he looked like a timid, concerned mouse...a big mouse, sure, but it didn't change the fact that his shy-by-nature friend had a heart of glass. Right now, Daichi could see worry creased deep into Azumane's forehead. He stayed silent for a minute as he took a seat, gauging the situation to see if Daichi was too testy to talk._

_Rubbing the back of his neck and letting out a short nervous laugh, Asahi asked, "Why do you keep letting them set you up, if this is the way it always turns out?"_

_"I don't know!" Daichi complained loudly, before adding more to himself, "I don't know. Their idea isn't horrible, is it? I mean, it's bound to work sometime, right? It's not good for me to have had these feelings for (F/n) for so long."_

_The leg was back to bouncing anxiously._

_"Can't you just try telling her how you feel again? She's not dating that dickhead anymore, is she?"_

_His leg froze at the reminder that you had ever been dating "that dickhead." A scowl crossed his face as he looked up at Asahi. The expression must have been intimidating, because his boss looked slightly terrified._

_Consciously relaxing his muscles, he sighed and answered, "No. No, she finally dumped him, but now isn't a good time. She's been seeing someone to talk about all the abuse he put her through. I don't want to feel like I'm taking advantage of her or to just be a rebound guy. You know she's more important to me than that."_

_"I know, but it's been a few months, right? How long are you going to leave her in the dark on this?"_

_"Leave her in the...? I'm just trying to protect her."_

_Asahi muttered something to himself, and when Daichi called for him to repeat himself, he started shaking like a leaf._

_Voice timid, Asahi started, "You were at first."_

_He shrunk instantly at Daichi's harsh glare, but then he cleared his throat and sat up straighter. Speaking more clearly, he offered, "You're not going to like hearing this, but it's pretty obvious to everyone that you're only protecting yourself at this point."_

_Sawamura felt his fists clench and felt anger bubbling up at the accusation. He reminded himself that Asahi never confronted him on anything. It wasn't his style. So for him to be doing so..._

_"You're right," Daichi sighed. "You're right. I'm a coward. I don't even know how I got here. I've been telling myself all this time that I could make her happy if that asshole was just out of my way, but now that he is I--"_

_He sighed loudly again, "How do I even do this, Asahi? Where am I supposed to start? 'So, hey, (F/n). You know how I told you once that I had feelings for you? Well, it's more than that. I've spent the better part of the last two years wanting to murder your piece of shit boyfriend while being hopelessly in love with you. Wanna go out?'"_

_Azumane looked back at him like he was something pitiable. "I know you're joking, but some of that bluntness wouldn't be so off-the-mark, I think." Daichi rolled his eyes, and Asahi moved to sit beside him, clasping a hand firmly on his shoulder. "Look. Why don't you just go home tonight? It's not as crowded as usual. The three of us out there can handle it."_

_Considering for a moment, Sawamura responded with, "Yeah. Okay, I guess."_

_After wishing the other guys goodbye and gathering his things, Daichi started towards the apartment he shared with four other guys, mind replaying how he had gotten to know you, in the first place. The whole way home, he couldn't help but think that he'd already squandered his chances with you long ago._

**=  =  =  =  =**

The two of you had first met in a political sciences course, along with his roommates Koushi Sugawara, Tetsurou Kuroo, and Koutarou Bokuto. Another volleyball player from their youth was also in the class; Tooru Oikawa.

It took no time at all for him to become interested in you. You were friendly and personable and greeted him daily with a smile he couldn't ignore. Three or four classes into the semester, he began walking you to your next class, even though there was a shorter way he could have walked to his own next class, just to be able to talk with you longer.

The more the two of you chatted, the fonder of you he became. Your sense of humor meshed perfectly with his. The way certain things would get you excited, sending you tearing off on some enthusiastic rant made him feel warm inside, like your passion was his. He found you adorable in those moments, and in the moments when you were lost in thought with a quiet, dreamy look to your (e/c) eyes, he found you beyond beautiful.

He realized more and more that he wanted to be the reason you got excited like that...the reason for your quiet daydreaming. He had just about worked up the nerve to confess, when one day you left more quickly after class one day, calling, "I'll see you on Wednesday, Daichi! My boyfriend promised we'd meet for lunch today!"

Two months. It had taken Daichi a full two months before he even became aware that you had a boyfriend, and it came like a kick in the gut. He should have known someone like you would already be seeing somebody. As far as he was concerned, you were perfect and of course, you  _deserved_ a man that appreciated you for all that you were. He couldn't help but feel slightly jealous, but if this was a guy that made you smile, then how could he really be angry.

So then, Daichi felt like he might actually be sick, when he realized who it was. It was a guy he'd had the displeasure to meet a few times at some of the parties his roommates had thrown. His name was Suguru Daishou. Apparently Kuroo knew him from way back, but Daichi wasn't sure why he even showed up to these parties. Not even Kuroo seemed to actually get along with the guy.

Daishou always had something negative or disgusting to say about his girlfriend that made the other men cringe, and now that Daichi knew it was you on the other side of those taunts, it made his blood boil with anger. How could you be with some snake like that? It was beyond his comprehension. You were so smart and wonderful, and yet you were with this man who constantly degraded you. Sawamura told himself that you must not know. Daishou must not speak that way in front of you.

He wanted desperately to tell you, but was afraid that wasn't his place.

As time went on, he realized with great frustration that Daishou _did_ get away with saying things like that to you in public. He hadn't heard it himself, but some of your other friends had approached you about it.

One time after you had rushed off after class, Oikawa stopped Daichi to say, "I was at the library with her yesterday when her boyfriend showed up. He's outrageously disgusting. You should have heard the things he was saying, but when I told him to go to hell, she got mad at me...instead of the guy that called her all sorts of names publically. I defended her, but she was mad."

Daichi was understandably worried. This wasn't a good sign. Things just continued to seem worse, the more he learned. "What should I do about it? Nobody wants to see her with that guy, but every time someone brings that up, she shuts it down or shuts them out. You're good at this stuff. You've got to have some idea."

Tooru heaved a heavy sigh and shook his head. "I'm sorry. Something is very wrong there, Sawamura, but I don't know if there's a way for us to help without her taking those first steps."

He didn't want to hear that. Daichi fixed things. He was good at holding things together, building people up, being someone people relied on. To hear that he could do nothing but sit and watch this unfold felt like such a joke. He didn't want to believe that.

Turning up at his house late one evening, he found several people already there. Suga informed him they were throwing an impromptu poker night. Among the guests was Daichi's least favorite snake in the grass. He couldn't help but glare at Daishou, as the guy leered after several of the female guests, making lewd comments about their outfits.

"What's your problem, Sawamura?" he sneered, when he finally noticed Daichi's angry gaze.

"Don't you have a girlfriend?" he asked loudly. One of the girls that had been openly flirting with Suguru got an alarmed look on her face, excusing herself quickly.

"Was that really necessary?" Daishou asked, expression icy as he placed two new cards in his hand. "Like you had any place to say something like that, anyway."

The other guys at the table felt the uncomfortable shift in the room's mood.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"(F/n)'s been talking all about her 'new friend Daichi' for months now." Even though he knew it was something completely innocent, Daichi couldn't help feeling elated at that revelation, until Daishou continued. "I hate guys like you. You're happy to just throw another guy under the bus after a little harmless flirting, but for what? You think you're some white knight protecting her honor, when I'm sure that weak little bitch would cheat on me with you in a heartbeat."

"Suguru!" Kuroo and Bokuto both growled.

"That's not true!" Daichi shouted over them. "She's not that kind of person. She would never treat you with the disrespect you treat her. She deserves better than you!"

"So you _do_ want to fuck her. I knew it! I told her if she kept talking to you, she'd be inviting you right into her panties whether she wanted you there or not, but she never listens to me! She's a fucking idiot!"

The room stilled except for the scrape of the folding chairs and the sounds of cards and plastic chips hitting the floor. Several men rose from their seats, but they were a hair too late. Daichi had already hauled Suguru out of his seat and slammed him to the wall behind him. He was seething, raising a fist at the smug expression of victory on the asshole's lips, before Kuroo's arm was jerking his fist away, and Suga was pleading, "Don't, Daichi! It's not worth it!"

He still reared back his fist, but now Suga was close enough to softly whisper, "You'll only hurt (F/n) like this."

Releasing the tension in his arm almost immediately at those words, he let it fall to his side. Suga sighed with relief, and Kuroo let go of him and gave him a firm pat on the back. 

Still angered by the accusation that he would force himself on you, Sawamura's voice was a low and dangerous growl. "Get out of my house. If you somehow _forget_ you're not welcome so long as I'm home, I won't hesitate to punch you in the damn teeth. Got that?"

Daishou huffed out a short laugh. In his own low voice, though more a slimy sort of hiss, he taunted, "Aw, don't be so serious, Sawamura. Go ahead and hit me. You know what's going to happen, don't you? When I go home and tell (F/n) how aggressive you were, you think she's gonna run to you? No. You play that big, tough knight all you want, but ask yourself what that's going to get you. Tonight it'll still be me that's fucking her."

He truly felt the bile that rose up into his throat, hardly noticing Bokuto grabbing the guy by his collar and tossing him out the front door.

"Disgusting! Kuroo how are you even friends with that shit?" he was complaining, as Suga and a few other guests fixed the disarray of the living room. Daichi didn't bother to stick around for the answer.

He walked silently to his room, closing the door behind him. He still wanted to hit something, so he unloaded several punches into his poor, unsuspecting pillows, before flinging himself face-first into the mattress and yelling a muffled shout into the cloth.

Rolling over, he stared blankly at the ceiling, until his phone began vibrating in his back pocket. He sighed, pulling it out and looking at the screen to see your image.

_Incoming Call:_  
SAWAMURA'S  
SWEETHEART 

"Damn it, Oikawa!" he said aloud. The pretty-boy had a bad habit of thinking it was utterly hilarious to change the names of the contacts in Daichi's phone during class. Daichi wasn't even sure how he always managed to sneak the phone without him noticing, but it only made it more amusing to Tooru that it seemed to take quite awhile each time before Daichi noticed. He knew this was Oikawa's handiwork, because the infuriatingly perceptive man enjoyed teasing him mercilessly for the crush he knew Daichi held for you...until after the day in the library, that is.

Reminding himself to change it back to your name later, he took a deep, steadying breath and answered the call.

"Hello."

"Hey, Daichi! It's (F/n)," came your sweet voice. It was a welcome change from the harsh voices moments earlier.

"Yeah, I know. What can I do for you?" he asked, smiling wistfully.

"This is going to sound weird, but I don't have your roommate Kuroo's number and I was wondering," there was a brief pause, "have you seen Suguru tonight?"

You might as well have punched him in the stomach. He was apparently taking too long to respond, because you continued, "I know he goes there sometimes and he hasn't been answering his phone even though..."

"He just left," Daichi interrupted, answer short and clipped. It took all of his willpower not to launch into a tirade where he would come across as a tattletale.

"Really? That's great!" you sounded relieved over the news. "Did he say anything about me, like did he seem pissed off at me or anything?"

"No," Daichi lied. He didn't really think Daishou had seemed pissed at you so much as at him, but he had, of course, mentioned you...many times...with such unwarranted venom in his tone. How was Daichi supposed to tell you that?

"That's good. That's really good," you said quietly, followed by another pause-- one long enough for Daichi to realize something.

"(F/n), are you crying?" he questioned, sitting up as his concern for you kicked into full gear.

"I just thought," you sniffed, "I thought maybe I'd done something wrong. He told me to meet him out for dinner at our favorite place, and I waited and waited and tried calling and I just..."

His heart truly ached as he pictured you sitting alone at the table, making excuses for the shithead who had never had any intention of showing up in the first place, until you left in tears.

"(F/n)?" he approached softly. "Does he do this kind of thing to you often?"

"Not really."

It wasn't a "Something like this has never happened before tonight." It wasn't even a solid "No." The rest of your statement made him want to scream.

"Only when I've done something really stupid or if I show up looking too ugly."

"You're not serious. There's no version of this where you could ever be ugly or stupid," he responded, trying to hide the exasperation.

"No version of what?" you wondered.

"Life!" he emphasized, as if it should have been clear as day. "You'd look beautiful in a worn out potato sack, (F/n). You realize that, don't you?"

You laughed and answered, "Aw. That's sweet of you! Thanks for trying to cheer me up, Daichi. You're always so nice to me."  
   
"I wasn't saying that to be polite. You're smart and you're beautiful, and anyone who can't see that is an ass. Being friends with you means a lot to me, and hearing you feel so underappreciated pisses me off. I see you, okay? I see you and you're smart and you're beautiful." This was getting him nowhere, but he felt it had to be said, even if it did cause a long pause on the other end of the phone.

Finally you quietly replied, "Thanks. I needed something like that tonight. Sorry I was acting like such a sad-sack. I shouldn't have gotten all worked up over something like this."

Still, you were placing the blame on yourself instead of on Suguru. There really was nothing else to be added at this point and the two of you ended the conversation shortly after.

Sawamura walked outside into the cool night air to think about the evening. He noticed something that made his stomach churn, leaning against Kuroo's red car...Daishou had a girl from inside the poker night plastered to his face.

Walking over, fists clenched in his pockets he leaned against the car right next to the pair. The girl looked scandalized that he would have the audacity, while Daishou just wore that same smug-ass smirk.

"Can't you just go home to your girlfriend?" he asked, frustration and defeat apparent in his voice.

Suguru snorted. "Figured it out, huh? She _needs_ me, and I obviously give her what she really wants because she's never going to leave me. You see how stupid she is now, right?"

" _Don't_ call her stupid. She's going to see you for the piece of trash you are one day. I know she will," he stated confidently.

The girl that had been pressed into Suguru was trying half-heartedly to make an exit, but he wasn't allowing it. Instead he shot back, "Maybe she will, but if you think I'll let you be the one to pick up the pieces, you've got another thing coming, Sawamura."

The party girl seemed to get a thrill from his show of power, because she was back to leaning against him, distracting him with her tongue flicking in and out of his ear.

"I'm gonna tell her you want her and maybe she won't believe me, but every single thing you say or do against me is just going to look like petty jealousy afterwards, so good luck with that." He stopped talking for a moment to gasp shamelessly as the girl bit down at his neck, his hand slipping around to grope her ass. "Call her right now. Go ahead. Or hit me...I'd love to have a black eye to show her how aggressive you can get."

Knowing there was nothing he could do and still look like a good guy in your eyes was infuriating. 

"She'll figure you out, and when she does, I'll still be here and I'll be more than happy to give you exactly what you're due," Daichi threatened, in that terrifying way he had. It was frightening enough that the party girl, stood up straight again, looking intimidated herself as Daichi walked off to his own car. He needed a night at The Flightless Crow, even if he wasn't working.

Daishou snarled and grabbed the girl by the arm. "Where do you think you're going? We're not finished here yet, right?" he said as he shoved her lightly against Kuroo's car again, thrusting his tongue down her throat, as she happily ignored the fight for the immediate pleasure in front of her.

Slamming his car door, Daichi sped off towards The Crow.

~  ~  ~  ~

Passing Chikara at the door, only barely stopping to chat, Daichi made his way straight to the bar counter. It was a Tuesday night, so it wasn't very crowded. Tanaka was the only guy behind the bar at the moment.

"Hey, you're not on tonight are you? Noya just left," Ryu said.

"No, I'm not on. Gimme a shot, Ryu," he said. As Tanaka turned to grab the Jack Daniels, Daichi's drink of choice, the frustrated customer added, "Screw that, Tanaka. Make it a double."

"That bad?" his friend asked.

"You have no idea," Daichi lamented, placing his forehead against the cool wood of the countertop.

Hearing the sound of glass clinking down, Daichi sat up and downed the shot before passing it back to Tanaka, signaling for more.

"If you're that down in the mouth, man, I've got the perfect solution," his co-worker supplied suggestively.

"No. No. Not that, Ryu. Not tonight," he groaned.

Tanaka and Noya had just recently started trying to shove girls at their friend, after Suga had talked to them at length about how hopeless he'd been over you. The two were certain this would be the fastest way to "cure" him of his unrequited feelings.

"Come on! At least say hi, Daichi. She's totally your type," he coaxed. "Right there at the table in the corner."

With a low grumble, Daichi glanced over his shoulder, and then back to his glass...but then quickly over his shoulder once more.

"Shit," he muttered. Catching Tanaka's puzzled expression, he said, "That's (F/n)."

" _That's_ (F/n)?! Dude. You have my sincerest sympathies that you're _not_ hitting that," he jested, shaking his head and giving you an appreciative once over.

"Shut up, Tanaka," he demanded, features darkening. "I don't want to hear you say that kind of shit about her again, got it?"

"Whoa, Daichi! Calm the hell down. I get it," Tanaka backpedaled. "You know I was only trying to lighten the mood I didn't mean anything by it. She's off limits. I get it."

"Sorry. I'm sorry. That-that wasn't about you. I'll explain another time. I know you were trying to help, man," he offered, reaching across the bar to place a hand on Ryu's shaved head.

He stood from his stool and walked over to stand across from your table. It took a moment before your eyes finally connected and yours widened with realization.

"Daichi?" you questioned, motioning for him to sit down. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"I work here, remember?" he asked, sitting in the seat furthest from you. It was clear you'd been crying.

"Well, yeah, but not today right? I mean, you were just at home earlier, weren't you?"

"I was. Weren't you?" he returned.

You nodded with a smirk. It seemed your head was struggling to stay upright. "Suguru called. He said he's not coming home tonight because he's pissed at me." You were staring into your empty glass, and Daichi wondered just how many of those you had already had.

"Pissed at _you_?" Daichi asked incredulously, not able to conceal his distaste.

"Mm," you nodded again. "Because I called you to look for him. He said he didn't know if he could be with someone that acted like a crazy stalker, and that if I wanted--" your voice trailed off. "Well... he was pissed that I called you."

You had placed your head facedown in the nest made by your crossed arms, so you missed completely the rage that flashed across Daichi's face. "(F/n)," he said, "I think you should go home."

"Why?"

"You're drunk and upset. Someone might try to take advantage of you,"

"No, they wouldn't. You wouldn't let them." The way you were staring at him burned, and he wasn't sure if the fire was because you saw right through him or because he knew his longing for you was hopeless.

"No. I wouldn't, but I still think it's a good idea for you to go home and sleep this off. You've had a bad night," he reminded. "Come on. You're not far from here. Let me walk you."

You conceded and the two of you walked along in silence, stopping when you got to the metal stairs of your apartment building. Sitting down, you patted the spot next to you, and Daichi followed. "You know, I'm not that drunk," you mentioned.

"I know," he said, "but you're still having a hell of a shitty day. I think you'll feel better at home."

You smiled and leaned into him, "You're a good friend, Daichi."

There was a long pause before you added, "Suguru said something ridiculous, you know?"

"He says a lot of ridiculous things," Daichi shot back.

"Fair...but this one was really out there. He said that you have feelings for me and that's the reason you don't like him." You laughed at the thought, but stopped when you looked up to see the solemn expression he was wearing. "Daichi."

He turned his head. Fuck that jerk. It wasn't supposed to go this way. You weren't supposed to find out like this. He wanted to be the one to tell you.

You stood and moved to sit on his other side in order to face him again. "Daichi. It _is_ ridiculous, right? We're just good friends."

He breathed out heavily and responded, "I'm sorry."

"I see. So that's why you're always so hard on Suguru?" you questioned.

"What?! No. I don't like him because I think he's an asshole! I thought that about him before I even knew the two of you dated," he clarified. "I'm sorry, because I got you in more trouble with him, and I know you're not going to do anything about it. I'm sorry because it isn't fair for me to tell you I have feelings for you when you're seriously dating someone else, and I know that."

You stared blankly at the sky for awhile before sighing and saying, "That's funny."

Daichi had no idea what you could be referencing, at this point, until you continued, "Sugu was right about me this whole time. I'm a shitty person."

"Wha-"

"Just now, I actually thought how nice things might have been if I had only met you first. How is that the response I have? I mean, what kind of woman thinks that when she has a boyfriend that's willing to put up with her shit?"

"(F/n)! That's not fair. 'Puts up with your shit?' That's a boyfriend's damn job! You put up with way more from him! What about the way he talks to you? The way he insults you in front of others? The way he makes you feel worthless?"

"So you think I should just break up with him, then?" 

Daichi's mind told him to drop it now. This wasn't the time for this conversation. You were both too raw after the evening's events. He needed the time to approach this gracefully...but he didn't stop.

"Why don't you? I know you probably don't want to hear this, but he's an awful person. You shouldn't have to put up with that."

"I know, but that's kind of my fault. I mean, that's just Suguru's personality. He gets his feelings hurt easily. It could be a lot worse. It's not like he beats me or anything."

"(F/n)! That's not something you should have to compare it to! "Doesn't beat me" isn't the measure for a decent boyfriend! That doesn't mean you have to deal with the abuse he's putting you through!"

"Stop it, Daichi. Don't call it abuse," you ordered, features growing irritated. "He's just a jerk sometimes, but I know he means well. He really loves me. You don't see how he is with me when he's doing well."

His heart was breaking for you, watching you justify that disgusting behavior of your boyfriend's, while beating yourself up over something that had been completely innocent and completely set up. "He literally just left you at dinner tonight...alone, because he felt like coming to pick a fight with me. He left you!"

"That's not why he left. He left because I hurt his feelings. I really have been talking about you a lot. I'm always doing stuff like that. You don't know, Daichi, but I really can be such a bitch sometimes."

"Are you kidding me, right now? That's him talking! I've heard him say crap like that about you. I heard him say shit like that tonight! I don't understand you on this, (F/n). Just tell him to fuck off. You're so much better than he treats you. Why are you letting him do this?"

You rolled your eyes and shook your head, indicating clearly that you still thought Daichi had no idea what he was actually talking about. "Because he's always right! I mean, look at us right now! Why are we even fighting? You're jealous because he's dating me and you feel like you're a better man for the job, right? Just like he said!"

"A fucking dog is a better _man_ for the job than Daishou!" he shouted angrily.

With that statement, he'd gone too far. He could see it all over your face. All he wanted to do this evening was to be there for you to talk to if you wanted. He had only meant to lend a listening ear, and now you were shouting at each other...exactly as that damned snake had wanted.

He realized much too late that it didn't matter if it was exactly what you needed to hear. You weren't ready to hear it and you didn't want to hear it. You were angry at Daichi now and couldn't understand why he was trying to undo your relationship. In your opinion, he was your friend, so he should be supportive of what you wanted, especially when it came to your partner. Suguru took good care of you, for the most part, and if Daichi wasn't willing to admit that, then maybe the two of you weren't really friends in the first place. 

You told him to back the hell off, and he did. He left you there, knowing when Daishou decided to show back up after screwing around with whatever girl he was with, that Daichi was responsible now for shoving you straight into his arms. He could picture that smug "I told you so" expression. He could see Daishou curled around you, comforting you, whispering how you should always just listen to him...making you believe that it was only jealousy that caused Daichi say those things...echoing over and over again how stupid you were for not trusting your "loving" boyfriend in the first place.

His threat from earlier in the evening had indeed come true, and Daichi was completely at a loss on what to do about it now.

The next few months were hell on Sawamura. You began avoiding him in class and afterwards, only speaking in short, clipped answers when you had to. That was bad enough, but eventually you started speaking that way with everyone. Your smile had all but vanished. You didn't get a dreamy look when you were lost in thought. It was more a look of anxiety and fear, constantly checking your phone and walking with your head down. 

Daichi was angry with himself for falling face first into Daishou's trap, because you feeling betrayed by your friend provided the exact catalyst Daishou needed to isolate you more and more from any help you might receive-- making you more and more dependent on him.

Daichi tried to approach your other friends with his concerns. They were worried, too, but looked as defeated as he felt, all having basically the same things to offer.

"We know. We've talked to her about. She knows what we think, but she's not going to do anything about it. She's somehow got to come to the same conclusion on her own. Nothing we say or do makes any difference. He really has her convinced that he's top dog and no one else could ever love her or put up with her and if they did, they would be a loser compared to him. All we can do is be here when she needs us."

That wasn't what he wanted to hear. He knew it was the only option, but waiting and watching you go through this pain was eating him alive. He wanted to tell you that it wasn't because he was jealous. That didn't have anything to do with it. As far as he was concerned, he could live never talking to you again if it would make you agree to break free of Daishou. However, he knew nothing he could say would convince you of that. Daishou's coils were wound much too tightly by now, and without you being in any physical danger, all he could do was wait.


	2. Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, Daichi gets the chance to tell you just how much you make his heart race.

 

**PART TWO:**

**Warning: College AU with some serious lemon...don't read if it's not for you! This is the same AU as the Asahi story "I'm Into You." The story also contains adult language and depictions of a mentally/emotionally abusive relationship. If you like the character Suguru Daishou, you're probably not going to like this story.** Listen here first for the song that inspired the piece: [[link]](https://youtu.be/3hExGnRi-Ao?list=PLneW6c1-NJmq3hg7XPF3CLtSM8egYzr4H) (Honestly, something I'd never thought of as sexy til now) **Lo-Fang - "You're the One That I Want"**

 

Suga was sitting in the common room of the apartment when Daichi walked inside.

“You’re home early, tonight,” he observed, pursing his lips and raising a questioning silver eyebrow.

“Yeah,” Daichi mumbled, kicking off his shoes and moving to plop next to his best friend on the couch.

“Ooh,” Suga mused, voice carrying a teasing lilt, “and you’ve got hot pink lipstick on your ear!”

Sawamura dodged away from Suga’s prodding finger just in time, firmly covering his ear under his palm, and then scrubbing at it hard in an attempt to remove the pink.

“Stood another one up, then! Such a naughty boy,” Sugawara taunted. He truly looked pleased with himself.

“Suga,” Daichi warned.

“To think such a good little choir boy like you would leave such a trail of broken hearts,” his friend lamented, gray hair bouncing about as he dramatically flung the back of his hand to his forehead.

“Don’t do it, Suga,” Daichi growled a little louder.

“And a bad mood to boot! What about those of us who don’t have girls lined up for a turn? Have you no sense of decency? I guess I’ll have to call a roomie meeting later so you can listen to Bo and Kuroo prod until that angry, little vein on your head bursts open—“

“Shut up, stupid!” he laughed, throwing a small cushion at his best friend’s head, who caught it and threw it right back. It smacked Daichi in the face a lot harder than he had anticipated, but then Suga was always a little more abrasive than the situation ever called for. “And don’t pretend you don’t get your fair share of requests, you beautiful bastard!”

His friend returned the laughter and stood to walk to their fridge. He took out two beer bottles, popping their caps off on the edge of the counter, and sat back beside the darker haired man.

“Okay. Now that you’re not going to be a complete piss baby, want to tell me what’s going on?” he questioned, as he handed Daichi a cold bottle.

Groaning and taking a big swig, he considered it before finally deciding to speak. “When’s the next party?” he asked.

“When do you need one?” was Koushi’s impish reply, looking much too thrilled by the question.

“Whenever. Just make sure you invite (F/n),” Daichi requested.

Sugawara’s golden eyes suddenly looked more mischievous than even moments earlier. “Don’t I always?” he asked.

“Yeah, but I thought you said she never shows up.” Daichi downed another gulp from the bottle, a little concerned you still would decline to come.

Koushi hummed a yes as he took his own swig of beer. “But she will this time. I have a trump card.”

“What’s that?”

“Daichi will be home this time,” he sang cheekily, giving Daichi a knowing wink and elbow to the stomach.

 

~ ~ ~ ~

_It had been awhile since Daichi had last really talked to you, or rather, fought with you on the steps of the apartment you shared with Daishou. You were in a new semester with different courses now at university. Though you shared a class again, you had been careful to sit far away from Sawamura. On the off chance that you did say something to him, Daichi was always ready with a kind response and a tender smile. He hoped it would, at least, convey that whatever your feelings towards him may be at the moment, he still very much wanted to be there for you._

_Some days he wanted to shake you and shout, “Wake up!” but he didn’t. He kept tediously plugging along with the advice he had gotten from your friends and that he had later asked a counselor at school about. He didn’t see any results, so he had no idea how effective he had been…or if it was even doing anything for you at all. Yet, he was still offering smiles even when you were hateful and maybe didn’t deserve his kindness, after nearly everyone else had been fed up with your stubbornness._

_One night, he and his housemates threw on some volleyball shorts and white t-shirts to head out and play a fun match with a bunch of other guys from their high school days. When he made it to the parking lot, he saw you paused mid-step towards his home, looking like a deer caught in headlights. He supposed he probably looked the same, having paused the volleyball mid-spin against his chest._

_The other guys looked from you to him and then silently walked past and got in Kuroo’s car. "_

_Catch up when you can," Suga muttered on his way past Daichi, offering him a sharp slap to the back._

_D_ _aichi felt completely blindsided. He had never expected to see you again, outside of school. You standing there didn’t seem real, at first, and he probably stood there in silence for much too long as he tried to decide what to say first. "(F/n), what are you doing here?"_

_You began stumbling nervously through last-minute explanations. "I needed…I-I mean I just hadn't talked...I wanted to see...but I didn’t think about the fact that you might be going out, so it's no big deal. I'll catch up with you some other time." He thought he heard you add a mumbled, “I’m such a moron.” You were already turning to get away from your embarrassment as quickly as you could._

_Gripping your wrist to stop you escaping, Daichi asked, "Hey, what's going on? I know you didn’t just stop by on a random weeknight after all this time to say hi, (F/n). Are you alright?" He stood with his hip cocked to the side, volleyball held in the crook of his arm as his hand rested loosely on his waist, studying your posture carefully. The other hand dropped your wrist back to your side, so you could still go if that was what you really wanted. All he could do was hope that you could tell he would be there for you no matter what. You opened your mouth in a smile to say something but closed it again quickly._

_Finally, you responded, building tears evident in the quiver of your voice. "No. No, Daichi. I'm not alright. I know after the way I’ve been treating you, you probably don’t even want to hear it--"_

_His free hand shot out behind your head and propelled you forward until your face rested against his soft cotton-clad chest. Holding you there in the dark, he began to stroke your hair, and you began to weep. The cries were soft at first, but soon you were heaving loud, gulping sobs, and Daichi dropped the volleyball, not caring in the least where it wound up, wrapping you more tightly in his secure embrace._

_"_ _You were right. You were so right, Daichi. He won’t stop. Everything’s getting worse, and I don't know what to do anymore. I want to leave. I'm scared of what Suguru will do if I leave him…and I feel so very stupid.”_

_At last, he thought, burying his face against your hair. At last, you saw Daishou for the snake he was. At last, you realized._

_“That’s how he wants you to feel. No one that cares about you thinks you’re stupid, I promise.”_

_“I am, though!” you asserted, looking up with your hate-filled eyes rimmed red and defeated. “You all tried to make me see it before it got this far, and I didn’t want to! I thought he loved me, and I thought I needed him, but I hate him! And I hate myself!”_

_“You’re not stupid! He’s very good at manipulating people, and he took advantage of the fact that you loved him.” Those last three words felt thick and scalding, like burning tar in his throat. “He took advantage of you, and I’ll never forgive him for that.”_

_It hurt Daichi to admit you loved Suguru out loud. Even though he had known it was true for so long now, to say it felt like Daichi was the one who had done something wrong. He felt like the words were so horrible that he found himself struggling to keep his own eyes from stinging._

_“Just—“ you whimpered, “just get it over with. Tell me ‘I told you so,’ before I have another breakdown. That’s why I came here. I have to apologize to everyone, and you deserve to say it most of all.” Your eyes were squeezed shut and your body tensed while you waited to be reprimanded._

_“That’s never going to happen. I would never say that to you,” Daichi admitted quietly, running his hand comfortingly across your back. “I just want to be here for whatever you need.”_

_“Why?” you asked, body shaking against his hug with the weight of everything._

_He didn’t answer the question. He couldn’t. Now was not the time to tell you he still loved you. “Let’s don’t stand out here with you this upset. Come inside with me,” he instructed. You shook your head defiantly._

_“I’ve been horrible to you, Daichi. I don’t deserve any of your kindness,” you cried._

_He sighed at your obstinacy, before scooping you up bridal-style to carry you into his apartment, relieved as you immediately relaxed and buried your face against his shoulder, arms draped around his broad neck._

_Daichi never made it to the game that night, and he hadn’t even remembered losing the ball in the parking lot until Kuroo brought it to his room a day or so later._

_Instead, he spent the evening propped in the corner of his room, where his bed touched the wall, holding you to his chest as you cried, until you had to stop because you had almost made yourself sick. He left you for a moment to fetch a warm washcloth and returned to gently clean off your puffy, swollen face._

_You asked to listen to music to calm your nerves, which he gladly turned on in the background before sitting cross-legged back in the corner of his bed. You crawled over and laid your head back on one of his thick thighs, staring blankly at his ceiling, tears slowing to a trickle. Silently, he combed his fingers through your hair, noticing parts of it were still slightly damp from having wept while laying down._

_When you turned your head away from him, to get more comfortable on your side, your shifting caused his athletic shorts to ride up just enough so that the soft, cool skin of your cheek rested directly against the warm flesh of his thigh. If it had been another night, he would have been in trouble, overcome by being so close to you…but that evening, you were pitiful—lost and broken and in desperate need of a friend to hold you close and reassure you that you had made the right choice, even though it hurt this badly._

_Daichi wasn’t the kind of man who would ever have taken advantage of someone, which only made him loathe Daishou even more. You only briefly described the events that led you to finally leave, but it was enough that Daichi had to work hard to keep his anger from bubbling over. You didn’t need him to explode tonight, even if it was directed towards your soon to be ex-boyfriend._

_But then he knew you would have realized that nobody pissed Daichi off quite like Suguru Daishou did._

_“Why did you come here? Why not one of your other friends that you’ve known longer?” he asked, genuinely curious._

_You stared up at him from your place on his thigh. Sitting up, chewing on your bottom lip as you decided whether or not to speak, you rested a hand on his forearm. “I knew I could count on you. I knew you wouldn’t tell me that I shouldn’t be upset. I knew you’d be strong for me, even if I couldn’t.”_

_“(F/n),” he breathed tenderly. It was what he had wanted. All this time he’d been praying you could read him—would know that he would be your rock no matter what. To hear you admit you knew that made him feel a lightness he hadn’t felt since before the two of you fought._

_You gazed at one another for a long while, barely registering the playlist of songs in the background, even though it was the only sound in the whole apartment._

_As you started to drift in and out of sleep, he moved you to a pillow, but you jerked yourself awake and shook your head. Taking hold of Daichi’s arm, you pulled him down beside you and cozied up to his chest. Groggily, you asked him, “Will you promise not to let go, even after I fall asleep?”_

_Forcing his caught breath to move, Daichi promised._

_It had been so long since he had been able to relax in your company, and he was much too happy to sleep. He couldn’t stop watching the gentle rise and fall of your chest or marveling over your soft, feminine skin. Daichi could smell the shampoo in your hair clearly…the same one as it had been when the two of you were close, when he would hug you at length and stand enjoying the scent and the feel of your arms wrapped around him tightly._

_Eventually, in the early hours of the morning, Daichi couldn’t help but doze off. When he woke, you were gone, but there was a text on his phone from you, explaining that you had to take care of breaking up with Suguru and thanking Daichi for being there for you even though you had been a complete jerk to him…in your own words, of course._

_Trying not to feel too worried that Daishou would somehow convince you to stay with him, or worse, hurt you, Daichi got ready for the day. He left early to get to his shift at the pub. Asahi almost always let him start early if he wanted to earn a few extra bucks, and Daichi thought he’d had every intention of doing just that, but he found his feet carrying him past the pub and towards the apartment you shared with Daishou._

_Walking by the front stoop where the two of you had fought, Daichi felt his stomach drop. He wished things had turned out so much differently back then, because even now, he wouldn’t be able to do much about the deep feelings he had for you. You would need plenty of time to heal and find out who you were without your douchebag of a boyfriend around clouding your judgement._

_Just as Daichi was wondering what the heck he was doing here, he heard a loud sound above him. He looked up to the window on the third floor to find you rapping hard against the glass. You smiled down at him and held up a finger to signal he should wait right where he was._

_He nodded agreement and you disappeared. Suddenly he felt nervous and wasn’t sure what to do with himself. He walked up the stairs on the stoop and then back down again. He put his hands awkwardly on his waist but then dug them into his pockets._

_A few moments later the door flew open and you hurried out, stopping two steps above him. He should have thought you looked terrible. Your hair was a mess. Your eyes were still swollen and red, face puffy from crying for who knows how long. You looked completely exhausted, but there was something radiating from you that he didn’t know how to put into words._

_“Hi,” you said plainly._

_After a short nervous laugh, Daichi responded, “Hi.”_

_“I was sitting at my desk and I saw you walk past,” you admitted. “Did you need anything?”_

_Shaking his head, Daichi confessed, “I wanted to see if you were alright. How did it go?”_

_Still grinning like a madwoman, you said, “It was terrible. I mean just really, really awful. He was as hateful as possible, of course.”_

_“Then why are you smiling like that?” he asked, wearing his own puzzled grin._

_You shrugged your shoulders and watched him a few moments before launching yourself down the last steps and into his chest. Though you took him completely by surprise, Daichi didn’t miss a beat and caught you in his arms without a problem._

_You squeezed him tightly and laughed. “I don’t know. I don’t know why I’m smiling. It didn’t go well at all, but I did it and I feel so…I feel free.”_

_You said it all with your cheek pressed against his, and though he could feel a steady stream of tears, he could hear the relief in your voice and understood. Even he felt lighter, so Daichi could only imagine what this meant for you._

_“Thank you, Daichi. Thank you for supporting me.”_

_Without thinking, he blurted, “I’m so proud of you, (F/n).”_

_He was mortified. He thought it sounded so patronizing, but when you pulled back to look at his face, your grin was as wide as ever._

_“I needed that encouragement. I really did. Why do you always know just what to say?” you asked, placing your palm to his cheek._

_“I don’t. I’m just as surprised about it as you are,” he said, enjoying the laugh you gave him in response._

_The two of you stood there staring for a long while, idiot grins on your faces before Daichi finally remembered. “I guess I need to be heading to work now. I’ll see you around, okay?”_

_You nodded and kissed his cheek after another tight squeeze. “See ya.”_

_There was a joy in Daichi’s step as he entered the pub that hadn’t been there in ages. He knew there was still a long way to go, but at least now he had a chance to tell you that the one he had always wanted was you._

~ ~ ~ ~

Tonight was the night.

Tonight you were going to confess to Daichi how you felt about him…never mind the fact that he hadn’t made a move on you since breaking up with Suguru or really ever for that matter. Never mind that he kept a certain distance from you that was probably caused by how rotten you’d treated him the last year. Never mind that for all you knew, he had long since moved on from having feelings for you at all and only wanted to be friends.

Tonight was still the night, because if you didn’t get it out soon, you were certain you were going to explode.

You were ready for something new. You were ready for someone who would love you without the abuse and manipulation, and the only man you wanted to love you was having a party at his place that night.

Sugawara had invited you to come. Maybe you had just been imagining things, but he seemed a little pushy about getting you to come…and adamant over the fact that his roommates would _all _ be in attendance.

When you finally arrived, you were greeted with shouts of hello and warm hugs by all the boys. Daichi offered you a drink, and you gladly accepted. The house was crowded. It seemed packed with people, and you were suddenly even more nervous than before you came.

Before long, things settled into a comfortable rhythm, with people talking in small groups all over the apartment, as well as outside. Daichi had chosen to stay by your side and the two of you were enjoying giggling about stupid movies and Oikawa’s insanely obvious crush on a classmate you all shared.

After an hour or so, you excused yourself to the bathroom. Looking in the mirror for a personal pep talk, you decided now was as good a time as any to tell Daichi how you felt. You’d already been virtually alone with him for an hour, and no one seemed to even attempt to interrupt. Nerves going wild, you walked towards the noisy entryway, hearing excitement over some new arrivals to the party.

A cute little blonde girl and a very attractive girl in glasses were greeting everyone. You smiled at the boys fawning over the two of them, but then your heart dropped into your stomach.

When Daichi greeted the girl with the beauty mark, he pulled her to him in an easy hug and kissed her hair. She patted his cheek and looked at him fondly, saying, “I’ve really missed you,” before returning to the hug.

The room suddenly felt like it was spinning. You were too late. Everything was over. You hadn’t seen everything you could have had that was right in front of you, and now your chance to be happy with Daichi was gone.

In the living room, you dropped to the couch and pulled your knees up to your chest. You were busy concentrating on your breathing and trying not to cry when Daichi finally came back with drinks in his hand.

“Hey. Sorry that took so long. I brought you a refill.”

He was grinning when you glanced up and it only made everything worse. Why the hell did he have to look so spectacular all the time? He might as well have been sculpted by Michelangelo…and that stupid grin filled with his stupid perfectly white teeth. It was irritating.

It was heartbreaking.

“What’s the matter?” he asked, crouching immediately in front of you, concern obvious on his face.

“I-I don’t feel very well all of the sudden,” you answered truthfully.

Always the caretaker, he put his hand to your forehead to check your temperature. The touch gave you an excited chill, and you hated yourself for it. Frowning, he asked, “Do you want me to take you home?”

You shook your head. You didn’t want to upset his girlfriend after she had only just arrived. “No. It’s okay. I’ll just walk like always.”

“It’s late and you don’t feel well. I’d really rather make sure you get to your apartment safely,” he said, brushing hair away from your face.

 _God,_ his fingers felt good on your skin.

“No,” your voice cracked. “You really don’t need to do that. I don’t want to cause trouble for anyone. I can just-“

"Trouble?” he interrupted. “Don't be ridiculous. What kind of trouble could that possibly cause me? Of course, I'll walk you home. Be right back,” he said, disappearing to grab a couple of sweatshirts from his room.

You felt guilty and selfish for not insisting harder that he stay with his girlfriend, but you couldn’t seem to control yourself. It was probably a terrible idea. You would only arrive to your apartment more disappointed that he couldn’t stay. Still, you couldn’t deny the face he was giving you.

Stepping out into the cool night air, Daichi put one of his hoodies around your shoulders. “It’s a little chilly,” he explained. “Can’t have you catching cold on top of a sour stomach, can I?”

You smiled at his thoughtfulness and slipped your arms into the oversized sleeves, revealing in the thick, soft cotton you had seen him wearing a dozen times, absent-mindedly rubbing it against your cheek.

“Here,” he said softly, standing in front of you as he slowly pulled the zipper up to close it. Pulling the hood over your head and holding it there tightly with his fists on either side of your face, he stared at you, pouting until you couldn’t help but crack a small smile.

Touching a finger to the tip of your chilled nose, he grinned. “Cute,” he muttered. “Really cute.”

It felt so good to be complimented by him, but you couldn’t help thinking that his girlfriend would probably be angry.

As you made it a few steps through the parking lot, hands fidgeting in the deep front pockets of Daichi’s sweatshirt, a familiar form stood blocking your way home.

“ _Fuck_! So, I was right! It’s only been a few months, and you two are already dating?” Suguru snarled. “Moved on quick, didn’t you, lying whore?”

“Watch your mouth, asshole!” Daichi started in on him immediately, voice dangerously low. “What are you even doing here? No one wants to see you.”

Suguru didn’t bother to look at Daichi. He just continued to stare deliberately at you in a way that made you actually terrified. “I don’t give two shits what you want, Sawamura. I came here to get my girlfriend back, but now I see she was a cheating bitch the whole damn time!”

It stung that he was still so hateful. You hadn’t done anything wrong, but the way he spoke so certainly made it almost feel like you had.

Daichi wasn’t interested in letting him continue, thankfully. “What does it matter to you? She sure as hell isn’t your girlfriend anymore, and it’s none of your business who she dates now, so get lost. Call her names again and you’re not going to like what happens.”

“Don’t, Daichi,” you interrupted. Even though it felt good to have him cover for you, this wasn’t his battle to fight and it wasn’t fair to his girlfriend. “You don’t have to do that. Daichi and I are not dating, Suguru.”

Suguru’s face suddenly softened and he stepped forward to grab your wrist. His voice did a complete 180ᵒ as he cooed, “Then come back with me, baby! Don’t stand here with this loser. I’ll be good this time.”

“No,” you said firmly, jerking yourself free of his grasp, more than a little happy that Daichi had stopped you tumbling backwards with hands solidly around your shoulders. Still directing your ire at Suguru, you reiterated, “I said he and I are not dating, and I don’t want to be unfair to his girlfriend—“

“(F/n)…” Daichi’s voice said loudly behind you.

You snapped your head around to face him, disappointed that you couldn’t hide your feelings any longer…angry that they had to come out like this.

“Let me finish this, please, Daichi,” you begged, before stepping towards Sugu again. “If we _were_ dating, you would have no right to complain about it and there isn’t a damn thing you could say that would come between us anymore. I know what kind of a man you are, and I won’t forget my worth for someone like you ever again. It’s taken me all these months to really accept that, and I’m not letting you fuck it up now! Stay away from me. And don’t you _dare_ drag Daichi into your bullshit anymore. He doesn’t want me. I missed that chance because of you, and I’ll never stop regretting that, but there’s no reason for you to be on his ass now. Get out of here, Suguru! Don’t come near us again.”

“(F/n),” Daichi said again, wrapping his hand loosely around your upper arm and turning you to face him.

You hated that there were tears in your eyes over this. You didn’t want him to feel bad that he had found happiness. It certainly wasn’t his fault that you had taken so long to figure out your feelings.

“I think you’ve misunderstood something, (F/n),” he said gently, face searching yours, for what—you didn’t know.

“Why?” you sniffed, trying uselessly to wipe away the streaming tears with the sleeves of his hoodie.

Daichi’s face was slightly pale over seeing you crying, which only made you more upset. He shouldn’t have to feel bad about your stupid mistakes. Still, he stuttered out, “I-I don’t have a girlfriend.”

“It’s okay,” you hiccupped, cursing that each second only seemed to intensify your tears. “You don’t have to do this in front of him. I saw you kiss her hair and hug her earlier. The two of you look really nice together.”

“Do you mean Shimizu?”

You shrugged. “The girl with the glasses and that sexy beauty mark. She’s really pretty, Daichi.”

“She is really pretty, but that doesn’t make her my girlfriend,” he continued, taking your face in his hands, wiping away the tears with his thumbs.

“Oh, you haven’t confessed then?” you asked quietly, still hating how good it felt to be touched by him.

“No. What are you—“ and then he let out a soft chuckle that made you wince. “I’ve known her since middle school, but we’ve been too busy to see each other the last few years. We’re very good friends, but I don’t think her _girl_ friend would like it very much if I confessed.”

“Her girlfriend?”

“Mm…” he nodded, as you recalled the adorable blonde that had entered the party with her.

“So…”

“Do we have to do this here?” he asked, glancing at the group of people drawing nearer. “Because I will if that’s what you want? If you want me to shout it, I will.”

But apparently it wasn’t what Suguru wanted. “God, I’m so sick of this fucking fake-ass prick!” he growled before launching himself at Daichi and landing a punch near his eye.

“No!” you shouted, grabbing Daishou by the elbow and jerking hard to try to get him away. He flung you hard and you hit the back of your head against the pavement. It really hurt.

Daichi, who had been holding his fingers to the cut on his brow, shocked that Suguru had had the gall to punch him, watched you hit the ground with horror. When your pained eyes cut to him, something snapped. Something he had been holding in for God knows how long completely crumbled, and his fist connected to Daishou’s face without thinking.

The hit was so forceful, Suguru was on the ground instantly with Daichi straddling him and hitting him again and again.

People were rushing to them now, but you were on Daichi’s back in seconds, linking your arms around both of his and pulling back. He didn’t force himself out of your grasp, though he was clearly still seething.

With your chin on his shoulder, and your lips near his ear, you soothed, “Stop it. He’s not worth it. You’re better than this. You’re better than he is. Just stop.”

Daichi’s back slouched and he relaxed in your hold, swinging his leg off Suguru to turn and face you.

“I’m sorry,” he said just above a whisper, while you shook your head rapidly in reassurance that you weren’t angry and hugged him tightly as he calmed down. “I’m sorry,” he repeated, burying his face in your neck, making your heart race unfairly.

Suguru growled loudly at being humiliated and rose up to attack Daichi again, but just as you stiffened in defense, Kuroo hauled Daishou up by the shirt and shoved him away, shouting that the cops would be there shortly if he didn’t get lost immediately.

Suguru was shouting, “Good! I’ll have that fucker arrested for assault!” as Kuroo continued driving him back.

“You started it, asshole! We all saw you. You could have cracked (F/n)’s head open like that, stupid fuck!” Kuroo growled.

You drowned out the sound of Kuroo getting rid of their very unwelcome guest, turning your attention fully on Daichi. Bokuto, Akaashi, and Suga all knelt around you to check if you were okay, before helping you both to your feet and escorting you inside.

In the bathroom, Daichi was rinsing his face of the blood, while you grabbed a washcloth to dab it away.

“Are you okay?” he asked as he spun around to face you, his hand coming up to touch the back of your head.

You stared at him like he’d grown an extra arm. Though the touch made you visibly wince, you said, “I’m fine. It’s not bad, I swear. I’m pretty sure I’m the one who should be asking _you_ that question,” you quietly responded.

He wrapped his hand around yours that was holding the cool cloth to his head, and the two of you shared a silent moment of relief. It didn’t last long, however, as Bokuto came bursting into the bathroom with an ice pack in his hand, while Akaashi tried futilely to capture him before he interrupted.

“Dude!” Bokuto exclaimed. “I thought you were gonna kill that asshole!”

“Bokuto-san,” Akaashi warned, shooting him a warning glare before glancing at you apologetically.

Ever his excitable self, Bokuto kept going, “I can’t believe you snapped like that, man! He totally deserved it, but damn! Remind me not to ever freaking piss you off!”

Daichi glanced sheepishly at you, embarrassed over how aggressive he’d gotten with your ex. You smiled fondly, hoping he would understand that you _knew_ something like that would never have happened with any other person…that you knew he wasn’t someone to just fly off the handle, and that you knew he had gotten so angry because you’d been injured.

Bokuto scooted in between the two of you and smooshed the ice pack to Daichi’s face, causing him to flinch from pain. “Here! You need ice for that swelling. Your face already looks like a mess, man! I bet it’s gonna be a helluva bump.”

There was a loud, annoyed “tch” behind you, before Akaashi’s hand darted past and grabbed Bokuto by the collar, yanking him backwards and pulling the ice pack from his hand. He handed it over to you, bowing his head slightly in apology.

As he pushed Daichi’s nosy, well-meaning roommate out of the way and closed the door, you heard him say, "Don't worry about that, Bokuto-san. (F/n) will take good care of Sawamura's face."

It was awkwardly quiet now in the bathroom. Gently laying the ice pack to Daichi’s forehead, you noticed he was staring at you with confused sort of expression. Remembering you had basically confessed before all the violence had happened, your face suddenly went hot with embarrassment.

“So…” you drug out, “…hot girl? _Not_ your girlfriend?”

Daichi shook his head slowly, looking at you with a dazed kind of gaze.

“I don’t have a girlfriend, and I haven’t dated anyone in nearly two years. I can’t even get close to something like that.” His voice was low, which made it somehow sexier, and he put an arm around the small of your back, pulling you closer.

“Why not?” you whispered, swallowing thickly over the way he was studying your face.

Taking the ice pack from your hand and laying it in the sink, he closed the space left between you until you were flush against his body. His fingers came up to slip through your hair, pushing it back from your face. Tilting his head just slightly, he said, “I thought that would be obvious by now, but I don’t mind saying it. You’re the one that I want, (F/n)…the one I need most, and I can’t stand the fact that I’ve loved you this long and still left doubt in your mind.”

“You…Daichi, you _love_ me?” The words felt so good to ask that they almost caused pain as your heart swelled in your already anxiously tight chest.

“Hopelessly,” he murmured, before his lips were brushing yours softly, tentatively, waiting for you to catch up to the moment.

When you did, you caught up hard, pressing into his hold until he was leaned against the bathroom counter, blown away by his confession and the gentleness of his beautiful full lips. Licking the seam of your mouth, asking for entrance, you easily obliged. You tightened your arms around him, sighing blissfully as his tongue curled into your mouth to tangle with yours.

It was too much. Too overwhelming. Suddenly you realized that you’d yet to confess to him. You were missing your chance again to tell him what he meant to you.

Despite his adorable little whine of protest, you pulled away from his mouth. “Daichi,” you said, as he rested his forehead to yours, careful not to lean on the side with his cut. “I’m in love with you, too. I’ve never been so sure of something in my life. I love you and that’s the _only_ thing that’s kept me going this whole time, through this whole thing with Sugu.” You kissed him briefly, before adding, “Well, that and my unyielding stubbornness.”

He chuckled and it was music to your ears. You relaxed and laughed, as well, enjoying as he held you firmly against his chest, tucked under his chin.

After what felt like ages of making out in the bathroom, through multiple people banging to be let in, the two of you finally agreed that it would be better to do this when you were completely alone with nothing to distract you. Though it was difficult to part, you promised to meet him at your place the next night, once he was done with work.

He could have come home with you that night, but you needed a night to decide for certain if you were ready to put your faith in another man so soon…even if that man was Daichi.

As you left the apartment, Daichi grabbed your wrist and questioned, “Date me?”

“Kiss me like that again tomorrow and you’ve got yourself a deal,” you winked, heading out in his hoodie, desperate for 24 hours to pass. You knew already the extra night was a lost cause. Your heart was already completely set on him.

 

~ ~ ~ ~

The next night, Daichi’s shift at the Flightless Crow seemed to be dragging on endlessly. He couldn’t stop thinking about the night before. He couldn’t stop thinking about seeing you later. His nervousness seemed out of control. He kept knocking things over, much to the amusement of his co-workers.

He politely, but eagerly turned down every phone number scribbled down on napkins, flirty giggle, or suggestive come-on.

As he was wiping down the bar near the end of his shift, Noya came over and asked for a hand in the stockroom. Walking to the back, Daichi saw Tanaka standing by the stockroom door with a grin on his face. When he looked at Nishinoya he was grinning, too.

“Oh no!” he said, trying to maneuver out of Noya’s sudden grip, but Noya had always been faster. “Not now. I told you both, I’m not doing this anymore, you guys!”

But Tanaka was grabbing him now, too, the both of them shoving him towards the door.

“Come on, Daichi! One more time! We got the perfect girl this time!” Tanaka grunted through gritted teeth, as he continued pushing Daichi forward an inch at a time.

“I told you two! I’m going to ask (F/n) to be with me tonight, for real this time!”

“All the more reason to go in! It’s the last time we’ll be able to do this, pal! Give us our fun! Can’t you just let us live our playboy dreams through your fucking manliness the girls keep drooling over?” panted Noya, still pushing despite their vast difference in size.

“What the hell is wrong with you today? You guys are disgusting! I’m just going to tell whoever’s in here ‘no,’ so you’re wasting your time!”

He had shouted the last bit while being forcibly shoved into the storeroom.

“I wouldn’t tell her no if I were you, man. It’d be a pretty dumbass move on your part,” Tanaka grinned before slamming the door closed.

Daichi pounded against it. _Those idiots!_ They were holding the door closed and laughing loudly. He couldn’t force it open with the two of them standing there. Frustrated, he kicked the door.

“So, you’re going to tell me no, huh?” you asked from behind him.

Spinning around so quickly, he nearly lost his balance, Daichi was startled to see you in the Crow’s storeroom, having been so close to his back that now the two of you almost touched noses. “I— What are you doing here?”

“Oh, hey, Daichi. Nice to see you, too,” you said sarcastically, taking several steps backwards until you were leaning against large stacked crates of alcohol.

“No. No! That’s not what I meant. I’m just—I thought we were meeting at your place once I got off?”

“I couldn’t wait any more,” you said, and whether you had meant for it to be or not, it was so seductive that Daichi felt a slightly uncomfortable shifting in his pants.

“I’m just really surprised right now.”

“Good surprised?” Your face was so adorable right now, he couldn’t take it. Taking a closer look at you, he realized you were wearing his favorite skirt of yours and a bracelet he had made for you two birthdays ago…a stupid little knotted friendship bracelet that Yachi had taught him how to make. Knowing you had kept something of his made him hunger for you even more.

“Oh, very,” he said, stepping close enough to cage you in with his muscular arms. “The best kind of surprised.”

“It’s a little cold in here,” you said with a shiver.

Daichi felt a little chill, as well, though he was used to the temperature in the store room. He had a feeling his increasing chills were because of his need for you. He didn’t think he could stay in control of himself for much longer. The lustful way you were watching him, with your heavy lidded eyes was completely electrifying, and he wanted you now.

Needed you now.

“Want me to warm you up?” he asked, breath hot along your neck as he tilted his face up to your ear.

You suddenly looked shy under his intense stare, as if you weren’t sure how to convey exactly what you wanted from him. Your jaw dropped open with a desperate sounding gasp, eyes darting to his, still shaking slightly from the sight of his desire, and you nodded before grabbing his shirt to jerk him into a frantic kiss.

He whimpered pitifully against the feel of your lips fitted to his, tongue already begging for entrance to his mouth. Daichi obliged, taking one arm off the boxes to snake around your waist and lift you into him more.

Breaking apart for a moment, he said, “Let’s get out of here. I know Asahi will let me leave.”

You shook your head. “No. Now.”

“I thought—“

“Right now, Daichi. I need to feel good again. I need to feel happy. You’re the only one who can do that for me and I need you right now. No one will hear us in here. The band is too loud. Please,” you begged, hands gripping his biceps.

“What if someone walks in?” he asked, not really caring all that much, if he were really honest with himself.

“That’s doubtful.” When he looked at you confused, you explained with a teasing smile, “I threatened those co-workers of yours with murderous intent.”

He pulled you closer, completely turned on by how eager you were to be with him right now. “Oh, now that’s my kind of girl.”

Your lips were back together again and he was ravenous, hands roaming over your clothes, enjoying as you clutched his ass. You pulled off his fitted t-shirt and threw it behind some crates.

He unbuttoned your blouse letting it fall open to expose your bra. As you began undoing the clasp of his pants, he leaned down to suck against the flesh of your breasts, but stopped just short, looking up to you with his desperate eyes.

“Can I touch you?” he asked.

You seemed startled by the question. “You don’t have to ask.”

“I want to,” he asserted, wanting to be as distant from Daishou as possible. “I want to do everything I can tonight to make _you_ feel good.”

You smiled softly, running your fingers across his cheek. “You really don’t ha—“

“(F/n), please,” he asked, stealing a swift kiss from your lips. “Please let me take care of you tonight. Can !?”

He watched as you swallowed hard, lust heavy in your eyes, and felt incredible when all you could give him in reply was a nod as you bit back your lower lip, gasping as he eagerly sucked your nipple into his mouth.

Your back against the crates, his fingers slid up your inner thigh to pull off your cute little panties that you had donned just for him. Still working his tongue at your breasts, he slid his hand back up until he was inserting fingers inside your wet folds. Daichi twisted and curled his fingers inside you, his thumb rubbing your clit in gentle circles, making you moan loudly. He couldn’t help but grin knowing how packed the Crow was tonight, knowing what he was doing and who he was with, and knowing not a soul could have heard you over the live music.

It was amazing. Having you squirm under his touch, knowing how badly you wanted him, even the fact that he was here in the storeroom with you couldn’t have been better for him. Every time he’d pushed away another girl because he hadn’t been able to stop picturing taking you in this very spot was all completely justified now.

He was here with his fantasy, dream girl but it was real, and your hand was pumping his cock in a way that made him want to thrust into more of you…somewhere tighter, wetter.

But not yet.

“ _God_ , I’ve wanted you. I’ve wanted you so long, (F/n), and you feel so, so good,” he whined, loving the way you blushed over his admission. “No one else could distract me from how much I needed you. I’ve been thinking about this for nearly two years.”

“You’re too much,” you gasped. “You’re too good for me. What did I do to make you like me this much?”

“You were perfect,” he said bluntly, before lifting you by your waist to sit you on a stack of crates. Standing between your legs, hooking them over his shoulder, he began to lick you and listen to the gasps and moans and squeals of delight he forced from your lips.

~ ~ ~ ~

You were in heaven. You were certain you had died and this was your heavenly reward.

Daichi sucked on your inner thighs, before reinserting the tip of his tongue high, where it felt amazing. His nose and tongue drug up your opening, providing double the sensation, his tongue working in waves that destroyed your ability to think. Gently, he sucked on your clit, humming as he tasted you.

“So good,” he mumbled, before two of his fingers joined his tongue inside of you, giving you pleasure you hadn’t felt in a very long time… not with the way Sugu had “loved” you.

Daichi was wholly different and you could feel from every touch he offered how precious this moment was for him, how perfect _you_ were to him.

It was overwhelming.

“Daichi, I need you. I need you right now. I-I want you inside me,” you begged. “Hurry. Please.”

Daichi groaned, but wasted no time sliding down his jeans before lowering you off the boxes to wrap your legs around his waist.

As his thick cock slid into you, the two of you moaned loudly, desperate for more of that sensation already.

“Shit,” Daichi whined. “Oh _shit_ , (F/n)! You’re so _wet._ How am I supposed to last when you’re already this wet? It feels—“

You nodded, stealing the rest of his sentence from his lips, rocking onto his throbbing cock. Pulling back from his lips slightly, you said, “It feels out of this world. Now shut up and fuck me, Daichi.”

And he did. He fucked into you with hard, frenzied thrusts of his hips, over and over until your pleasure had built to dangerous heights. Nipping at your neck while driving further into you still was all you could take, before you were gasping and crying out his name again and again.

Daichi fucked into you hard only a few more times before he muttered, “Fuck,” and pulled out, cumming all over the stockroom floor, with you clutching his face to your breasts.

The two of you stood there breathing heavily, your legs still around his waist for quite some time. When he finally looked up to your face again, he smiled and kissed you long and deep.

“I love you,” he said quietly. “I’ve loved you so much this whole time.” His admission came with slightly watery eyes that destroyed you to see. He was always so firm and supportive and able to hold himself together through everything, but this with you had him on the verge of falling apart.

“I love you, too,” you admitted, kissing him again. “I love you, too, Daichi.”

His blinding grin and shining brown eyes crinkled at their corners were something you begged yourself to keep in your memories forever.

As you stood down to the floor, rebuttoning your blouse, he asked, “Does that mean we’re together now?”

You couldn’t help but grin as you nodded.

“Now take me home, Daichi. It took me so long to be truthful with myself that I was in love with you, and I’m not done yet. I need more of you. I want all of you. You’re the only one I want to make me feel this way.”

“Good, because I won’t stop until you understand that you’re the only one that I want, too.”

 

**_End._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My deepest apologies for how long the update took. I hope those of you still around enjoy the story. ^_^


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